Realistic fiction is writing that depicts characters and situations from today's world and society. The story could indeed happen now, at this moment. Every realistic fiction story could conceivably happen to real people living in today’s natural physical world. It focuses on real world issues and confronts the personal and social problems of growing up. Realistic fiction helps children/tweens/teens move toward a fuller understanding of themselves and others.
Romantic fiction revolves around the love story of two characters in a novel, whether it is a sweet crush or steamy affair. Romantic fiction may be set in any time, place, world or situation (mystery, thriller, humor, dystopian, etc).
YA Librarians Jennifer Hubert Swan and Angelina Benedetti share lots of romance titles for MG and YA in this archived Booklist webinar. They also share tips and ideas for reader advisory for MG readers of romantic fiction.
Technology Assignment
This month we are exploring the site, Fictfact.com. Fictfact is a site that allows you to follow book series and receive notification when a new title is released. Fictfact complements Goodreads and helps you keep up with book series.For help getting started visit this page. After creating an account and following at least three series, write a post on Goodreads sharing the three series you followed and how you could use this site in your reading life.
Read 2 titles from the following lists(loosely categorized by subject*):
*Realistic titles often overlap with other genres (ex. humor, romance, mystery,) so you might see some duplication from previous months' reading lists.
School and Family
101 Ways to Bug Your Friends and Enemies by Lee Wardlaw
Access Denied (and other error messages) by Denise Vega
Almost Home by Joan Bauer
Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana Lopez
Bessica Lefter Fights Back by Kristen Tracy
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
Blogtastic series by Rose Cooper
Bluefish by Pat Schmatz
The Bully (Bluford series) by Paul Langan
The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale
Bystander by James Preller
Camo Girl by Kekla Magoon
Center of Everything by Linda Urban
Charlie Joe Jackson (any title in series) by Tommy Greenwald
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Destiny Rewritten by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Fourmile by Watt Key
Girl Stolen by April Henry
Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol by Jim Krieg
Hound Dog True by Linda Urban (upper elem/middle)
The Humming Room by Ellen Potter
Kepler's Dream by Juliet Bell
Laugh with the Moon by Shana Burg
Losing It by Erin Fry
Monica (any title in series) by Diana Gallagher
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
My Basmati Bat Mitzvah by Paula Freedman
One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Popularity Papers (any title in series) by Amy Ignatow
Runaway Twin or Stolen Children by Peg Kehret
See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci Jones
Skinny by Donna Cooner
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
Too Cool For This School by Kristen Tracy
The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata
This Journal Belongs to Ratchet by Nancy Cavanaugh
Tracing Stars by Erin Moulton
Unchained by L.B. Tillit
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Hunting & Fishing
Wild Life by Cynthia DeFelice
Middle East Conflict(s)
Dear Blue Sky by Mary Sullivan
Thunder Over Kandahar by Sharon McKay
Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai
Music & Arts
Audition & Subtraction by Amy Fellner Dominy
Guitar Notes by Mary Amato
How to Rock Braces & Glasses by Meg Haston
Notes From an Accidental Band Geek by Erin Dionne
Science
Code Orange by Caroline Cooney
Heaven is Paved with Oreos by Catherine Murdock
The Boy Project by Kami Kinard
Brendan Buckley's Sixth Grade Experiment by Sundee Frazier
Sports
The Contender by Robert Lipsyte
Curveball The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick
Game Changers #1 or Game Changes: Play Makers by Lupica
Hoops by Walter Dean Myers
Pinned by Sharon Flake
QB 1 by Lupica
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
True Legend by Mike Lupica
Spy Stories, Survival, and Thrillers
Code of Silence or Back Before Dark by Tim Shoemaker
Nine Days by Fred Hiatt
The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
Spy School (2012) or Spy Camp (2013) by Stuart Gibbs
Stranded by Jeff Probst
Written in Verse
Hidden by Helen Frost
Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes
Romance List Top Ten Romance Fiction for Youth: 2013 Mrs. Readerpants: Books Like Beastly Top Ten (Middle School Appropriate) Paranormal Romances 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson 52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody 7 Clues to Winning You by Kristen Walker A book by Susane Colasanti Accidental Love by Gary Soto A Song for Bijou by Josh Farrar Also Known As by Robin Benway Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer Boy on the Bridge by Standiford Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf Cinder by Marrissa Meyer Confectionately Yours by Lisa Papademetriou Crazy Beautiful by Lauran Baratz-Logstead Curveball The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick Delirium by Lauren Oliver Enchanted by Alethea Kontis Entwined by Heather Dixon Fifteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities by Mike Jung Going Vintage by Lindsay Leavitt Golden by Jessi Kirby Guitar Notes by Mary Amato Heartbreak Messenger by Vance (the rare middle school romance book that boys will like) Homesick by Kate Klise How (not) To Find a Boyfriend by Allison Valentine Schrier How I Survived Middle School: P.S. I Really Like You by Nancy Krulik How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski I’ve Got a Secret by Lara Rice Bergen I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I Would Have to Kill You by Ally Carter If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl Looking for Alaska by John Green Love? Maybe by Heather Hepler Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli Matched by Ally Condie My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Harris Nantucket Blue by Howland Noelle’s Christmas Crush by Angela Darling (Crush series) North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley Once Upon a Marigold/Twice Upon a Marigold/Thrice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman Spy School by Stuart Gibbs Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone The Boy Project by Kami Kinard The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart The Distance Between Us by Kasie West The Encyclopedia of Me by Karen Rivers The Heartbreak Messenger by Alexander Vance The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker The Story of Us by Deb Caletti The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Miller The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland This is What Happy Looks Like/ The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck Totally Crushed by Eliza Willard Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker Unchained by L.B. Tillit What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Genre Definitions
Realistic fiction is writing that depicts characters and situations from today's world and society. The story could indeed happen now, at this moment. Every realistic fiction story could conceivably happen to real people living in today’s natural physical world. It focuses on real world issues and confronts the personal and social problems of growing up. Realistic fiction helps children/tweens/teens move toward a fuller understanding of themselves and others.Romantic fiction revolves around the love story of two characters in a novel, whether it is a sweet crush or steamy affair. Romantic fiction may be set in any time, place, world or situation (mystery, thriller, humor, dystopian, etc).
YA Librarians Jennifer Hubert Swan and Angelina Benedetti share lots of romance titles for MG and YA in this archived Booklist webinar. They also share tips and ideas for reader advisory for MG readers of romantic fiction.
Technology Assignment
This month we are exploring the site, Fictfact.com. Fictfact is a site that allows you to follow book series and receive notification when a new title is released. Fictfact complements Goodreads and helps you keep up with book series.For help getting started visit this page. After creating an account and following at least three series, write a post on Goodreads sharing the three series you followed and how you could use this site in your reading life.Read 2 titles from the following lists (loosely categorized by subject*):
*Realistic titles often overlap with other genres (ex. humor, romance, mystery,) so you might see some duplication from previous months' reading lists.Middle East Conflict(s)
Music & Arts
Science
Sports
Spy Stories, Survival, and Thrillers
Written in Verse
Top Ten Romance Fiction for Youth: 2013
Mrs. Readerpants: Books Like Beastly
Top Ten (Middle School Appropriate) Paranormal Romances
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
7 Clues to Winning You by Kristen Walker
A book by Susane Colasanti
Accidental Love by Gary Soto
A Song for Bijou by Josh Farrar
Also Known As by Robin Benway
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
Boy on the Bridge by Standiford
Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Cinder by Marrissa Meyer
Confectionately Yours by Lisa Papademetriou
Crazy Beautiful by Lauran Baratz-Logstead
Curveball The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
Entwined by Heather Dixon
Fifteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton
Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities by Mike Jung
Going Vintage by Lindsay Leavitt
Golden by Jessi Kirby
Guitar Notes by Mary Amato
Heartbreak Messenger by Vance (the rare middle school romance book that boys will like)
Homesick by Kate Klise
How (not) To Find a Boyfriend by Allison Valentine Schrier
How I Survived Middle School: P.S. I Really Like You by Nancy Krulik
How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
I’ve Got a Secret by Lara Rice Bergen
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I Would Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Love? Maybe by Heather Hepler
Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Matched by Ally Condie
My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody
My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Harris
Nantucket Blue by Howland
Noelle’s Christmas Crush by Angela Darling (Crush series)
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
Once Upon a Marigold/Twice Upon a Marigold/Thrice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer
Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar
The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman
The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone
The Boy Project by Kami Kinard
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
The Encyclopedia of Me by Karen Rivers
The Heartbreak Messenger by Alexander Vance
The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper
The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Miller
The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland
This is What Happy Looks Like/ The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
Totally Crushed by Eliza Willard
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker
Unchained by L.B. Tillit
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Official Book Lists:
SLJ Best Books 2013 FictionSLJ Best Books 2013 Adult Books 4 Teens
http://www.hclib.org/kids/books/booklistaction.cfm?list_num=769
YALSA's Teens Top Ten Page
http://guides.ccclib.org/content.php?pid=86134&sid=644674 (YA and middle level books here)
https://sites.google.com/a/berkeleycarroll.org/middle-school-reading/book-lists/realistic-fiction (not so official but a good list)
Resources:
Amity Middle School blog
Books in the Middle: Reading for Middle School
Librarian in the Middle
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday picks
Mrs. Readerpants blog
Ms. Yingling Reads blog
Pinterest book displays
Realistic Fiction: Bringing Words to Life
Realistic Fiction for Middle Grades (older titles but has good content)
Realistic Fiction in Children's Literature (dated 2010 but good content)
StorySnoops: Children's Book Reviews and Suggested Reading Lists
YA Highway: 5 Fast Differences Between YA and MG
Teen Librarian's Toolbox: What's the diff? MG versus YA...a guest post by author Shannon Duffy
Middle Grade Mondays: ARC's Are Us and the Romantic No-No
Milk and Cookies: Comfort Reading
Mrs. Readerpants blog
Ms. Yingling Reads blog
Amity Middle School- Bethany Book Blog
StorySnoops: Children's Book Reviews and Suggested Reading Lists
http://www.scholastic.com/candyapple/
Book & Movie Trailers:
Almost Home by Joan BauerGame Changers by Mike Lupica
Guitar Notes by Mary Amato
How to Rock Braces & Glasses by Meg Haston
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
Wild Life by Cynthia DeFelice
Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrVl6pq1gNE
Firelight by Sophie Jordan Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv-n7JnHOXY&feature=youtu.be
Guitar Notes by Mary Amato Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipqDTT9T8iE
Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMoXMhql0L0
Matched by Ally Condie Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaeNWL8rlBI
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLsejBOqomk
Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5a0PuGpQaw
Picture Source:
http://engl3202lsu.weebly.com/realistic-fiction.html
Pages created by Michal Hope Brandon and Lorena Swetnam. Used with permission.